Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The newest issue of Robb Zenner’s fantastic cereal and pop culture magazine, Planet-Q is out and is ready for purchase! Just like the past four issues, number five packs a mean pop culture punch in the classic fanzine fashion.

Thirty-eight pages in glorious black & white will entertain and educate the reader about a fun variety of topics. As shown on the color cover, the ‘zine’s main feature is a ten-page history behind the short lived 1970's Ralston cereal, Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs. (One of my favorite cereals from childhood!) Plus you get an interview with animator Dean Yeagle talking about his involvement with Ralston’s animated cereal commercials including Freakies and G&S&G&L.

7-11 Slurpee cup collectors will be happy to know that there’s a three-page checklist gallery of Rock musical performers cups from 1976!

Yours truly has an article about good ol’ Stretch Armstrong and Stretch Monster.

Big time collector Gregg Koenig is interviewed about his cereal and pop culture collection.

As a cereal box & prize collector myself - I really enjoy hearing about other collector’s finds and success stories. Robb devotes a few pages to some amazing discoveries in the cereal collecting hobby, picturing many never before seen boxes.

For information how to get your very own copy, click here. Robb also sells excellent reproduction cereal boxes with hundreds of classic boxes to choose from. Info can be found here or in this current issue of Planet-Q.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Today’s flea market find took me many miles away from the comfy confounds of Neato Coolville to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Last week the first lady and I enjoyed a simple vacation in Sin City and one of our stops was the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop.

Yep, this pawn shop is the home to History Channel’s popular reality show, Pawn Stars. If you haven’t seen the show, it’s kinda a lowbrow Antiques Roadshow filled with goofy characters, zany humor and interesting junk. I’m not a reality TV fan, but I do enjoy all the “antique collectors” shows, including this one.

We didn’t know what to expect when we entered the shop.

The main guys were MIA., supposedly out shooting some scenes for the show. Chumlee, the store's court jester was at the shop, but mostly stayed hidden in the back. The few times he popped his head out, you would have thought Elvis had been resurrected from the dead. The crowd went nuts when they glimpsed Chumlee.

The fun part for me was viewing all the cool items in the shop.

I didn't think I would actually find anything to buy until I found a cannon.

No that's not the cannon. Instead, I purchased this 18-Pounder Field Gun toy in the original box.

This little cap gun cannon was made by Crescent Toys from 1958 to 1979. I believe this one is from the 1960's. I’ve never collected cap guns or military toys, but for fifteen bucks I decided this was a much better Pawn Stars souvenir than a magnet or shot glass.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

My favorite thing in Las Vegas is the famous Welcome sign. Designed by Betty Willis in 1959.

I think the World’s Largest Gift Shop has the World’s Largest Gift Shop sign. We actually spent some time in here and didn’t buy one souvenir. I guess the quality of tacky souvenirs just isn’t as good as it used to be.

Hey, it's Yellow, the Peanut M&M mascot! M&Ms might not melt in your hand, but I felt sorry for the person inside this suit ‘cause he/she probably melted once they got outside. The M&M mascots stand in front of M&M World taking photos with crazed M&M fans.

Walking at the new City Center made me feel like I was in the movie Inception.

Of course, I’ve seen a lot of giant objects along the roadside, but I believe this is the first giant typewriter eraser that I’ve ever seen. Located at the City Center.

Also located at the City Center is Crystals, the “shopping mall from the future”(that’s what we called it). I was much more interested in the cool glass tubes with the water tornadoes spinning inside instead of the designer stores.

It was like some artsy designer teamed up with a 7th grade science teacher for this twister of a mall decoration.

Sad to see the Mario Brothers down and out and living on the streets after they lost all their money at the blackjack tables.

The Tropicana is getting a complete make over. Hope these guys don’t forget a letter and accidently rename the casino Troicana.

Visited the home of Pawn Stars and bought a cannon! Catch this week's Flea Market Fridays post for the scoop.

Because of Disneyland, I’m forever a fan of Monorails and after seeing this cute Monorail Girl, I’m forever a fan of Monorail Girls! Btw, thanks for the coupons, Monorail Girl!

We didn’t win a million bucks, but at least we can say we saw a million bucks.

A Las Vegas tradition is enjoying a shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate Casino. The treat was born here back in 1959.